Adverse Child Experiences

Experience TRUE HEALING from childhood trauma and Adverse Childhood Experiences.

The Adverse Childhood Experience Research

In the mid 1990’s a group of Kaiser physicians who were working with patients with severe chronic diseases noticed that they all had the same stories of terrible childhood events.  They started studying this and found a strong relationship with certain negative occurrences in childhood and pretty much every possible chronic disease.  It made sense that traumatized kids ended up with more mental health struggles like depression and anxiety, but when they also found a strong dose response relationship with obesity, diabetes, job losses, and even cancer, everyone started scratching their heads.

The Kaiser physicians developed a 10 question assessment related to trauma that individuals experienced prior to 18 years old, called the Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACE) Scale. They then launched a large scale study, involving tens of thousands of patients, to correlate health conditions with an individual’s ACE score. The results were shocking!

Researchers found that people with a high ACE score (>4) are 230% more likely to have cancer, 200% more likely to have cardiovascular disease, 10 times more likely to abuse injected drugs, and 40 times more likely to attempt suicide. Learn more about ACEs from the CDC by clicking here.

Screening and Assessments

Doctors in California are screening more than 500,000 patients for Adverse Childhood Experiences per year. More and more people are learning that they are at elevated risk for chronic disease. You can take the ACE assessment below, and receive a confidential individualized report. See below or click here.

But that creates a challenge. If you have a moderate or high ACE score, what should you do? Is a guarantee that you’re going to suffer from chronic conditions?

The Solution

Absolutely not! In fact, at Healing Grove we have a number of patients with an ACE score of 10 (they’ve had every single bad thing happen to them). And they are thriving in health, family, and life.  Just like the Kaiser researchers, we are interviewing those who have experienced severe trauma but are doing well, and we are observing the kinds of interventions that promote resilience in their stories.  Researchers are also working on Positive Childhood Experiences (PCEs) which can be shown to promote resilience.

ACE Expert, Dr. Angela Bymaster, M.D.

Healing Grove co-founder and primary care physician, Dr. Angela Bymaster, M.D. is an expert in Adverse Childhood Experiences. Her research has been featured in peer reviewed journals (here’s a free copy of that paper) and articles.

Looking at healthy high ACE score individuals, researchers have discovered that there are 7 Positive Childhood Experiences (PCE) that offset the harmful effects of ACEs.

PCEs include:

  1. Able to talk with my family about my feelings.
  2. Felt that my family stood by me during difficult times.
  3. Enjoyed participating in community traditions.
  4. Felt a sense of belonging in high school.
  5. Felt supported by friends.
  6. Had at least two non-parent adults who took a genuine interest in me.
  7. Felt safe and protected by an adult in my home.

The role of healthcare in the process

The problem is that none of those 7 Positive Childhood Experiences (see diagram) are healthcare. When you get sick, where do you go? To see your doctor. However, most physicians aren’t trained or equipped in helping people heal from childhood trauma.

The Healing Grove Solution

At Healing Grove, we’ve got the solution! We’ve helped hundreds of people with high ACE scores thrive in life through Health Care, Soul Care, and Culture Care. Our physicians, counselors, and pastoral staff are experts in trauma informed care.

Healing Grove is encouraging PCEs through multiple facets in our community.  We encourage family conversations and support through Youth Group and family counseling.  We plan, fund, and implement annual large group community parties on Mother’s Day, Kids’ Day (a Mexican tradition), Dia de Unidad (the International Day of Peace), Halloween, and at many events around Christmastime, as well as smaller events like baby showers and specific traditional Mexican Catholic prayer events.  Youth Group and the Sports Program brings together kids, of all ages, promoting friendship, mentorship, discipline, spiritual growth, and fun.  We are really seeing growth in families and kids, in confidence, in connection, in character, and in resilience through these efforts.

The individual, family and community

The key to healing is to look at the individual, the family, AND the larger community. Western medicine is a great tool, but it often limits itself to only the individual. At Healing Grove, we see the whole person, and the whole context in which they live!

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Positive Childhood Experiences

Positive Childhood Experiences

Creating PCEs has a very positive impact on young people experiencing adverse childhood events!

This is what healing looks like

“Healing Grove is at the leading edge of evidence-based, upstream clinical practice!” Dr. Angela Bymaster, M.D.

Health Care

Our board-certified primary care physicians are experts in science-based Western medicine. We have training in all medical specialties – including dermatology, psychiatry, orthopedics, pediatrics, geriatrics, cardiology, ophthalmology, rheumatology, neurology, nephrology, GI, and gynecology. We received our extensive experience and training from highly respected institutions, and we care for 90% of illnesses and injuries without the need for specialty referral.

Soul Care

Medical science is starting to awaken to the fact that people are not machines. Diseases behave differently in different people, and there is more to healing than finding the right pill. At Healing Grove, our doctors use their spiritual gifts to see underlying aspects of some disease processes. We also invite interested patients to augment their health through prayer, Spirit-led healing, community, scripture studies, mentorship, trauma-specific therapy, and pastoral care. We believe in the power of God to bring wholeness and fullness of life.

Culture Care

We embrace the context of culture, which affects everything in us from the food and music we prefer to our parenting style and response to pain. All cultures come with positive and negative attributes. Many of our patients exist in multiple cultures simultaneously, often as immigrants or in multicultural households. At Healing Grove, we celebrate culture and foster honest conversations about what is life-giving and what is hard about your cultural experience. We believe that if we can all grow in good cultural health, we will ALL be enriched.

Membership Benefits

All patients have access to our secure app for quick one-on-one communication with their doctor. Text or call your doctor whenever you have a need!

Injuries happen at ALL hours. We are often able to meet after-hours to sew stitches or apply a splint, saving you hundreds of dollars in ER co-pays. Our physicians also have access to low-cost medications, labs, and imaging studies, and we can often do the same work for less cost than the average traditional insurance co-pay.

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Benefits

  • Annual personal care exam
  • Set of screening blood tests per year
  • One free x-ray per year (if indicated)
  • Spiritual care
  • Access to your doctor, 24/7
  • Zero wait time for your doctor
  • Personal relationship with your doctor
  • Connected to the US healthcare system

How Are We Different?

“Blessed is the one who trusts in the Lord, whose confidence is in him. They will be like a tree planted by the water that sends out its roots by the stream. It does not fear when heat comes; its leaves are always green. It has no worries in a year of drought and never fails to bear fruit.”

Jeremiah 17:7-8

We offer a concierge healthcare plan just for you – all that you need, and nothing you don’t. Healing Grove Health Center accepts HSA, HRA, and FSA.

This covers unlimited primary care, convenient physician access, health system navigation and advocacy, and invitations to our health, soul, and culture care programs. Plus, it gives TWO low-income members access to top-quality primary care!

We have a lot of experience working with uninsured people, so we know all of the secret cash-price deals in our area. This plan can be great for people with high-deductible health plans who avoid their doctors because of unreasonable co-pays and hidden fees. We find the most affordable meds, radiology, and lab tests in the South Bay, which are often less expensive than health plan co-pays.

Traditional Doctors

$ 99

Per Month
  •  Patient sees a doctor
  •  Zero wait for doctor
  • Coordination of specialist care
  • 30-minute to 1-hour appointments
  • Gatherings that offer community
  • Volunteer opportunities
  • Holistic medical care
  • Cross cultural and socio-economic relationship opportunities
  • Supports uninsured low-income patients
  • Spiritual care team

Concierge Medical Providers

$ 99

Per Month
  •  Patient sees a doctor
  •  Zero wait for doctor
  • Coordination of specialist care
  • 30-minute to 1-hour appointments
  • Gatherings that offer community
  • Volunteer opportunities
  • Holistic medical care
  • Cross cultural and socio-economic relationship opportunities
  • Supports uninsured low-income patients
  • Spiritual care team

Healing Grove Health CenterHGHC Annual Membership

$ 200

Per Month
  •  Patient sees a doctor
  •  Zero wait for doctor
  • Coordination of specialist care
  • 30-minute to 1-hour appointments
  • Gatherings that offer community
  • Volunteer opportunities
  • Holistic medical care
  • Cross-cultural and socio-economic relationship opportunities
  • Supports uninsured, low-income patients
  • Spiritual care team
Enroll Today

Share The Gift Of Healing

At $200 a month, you are not just providing for yourself; you are also providing the opportunity for TWO low-income patients to access our clinic!

As a member, you have the opportunity to receive top-quality healthcare while knowing you are supporting some of the most vulnerable people in the community. It’s a model much like TOMS Shoes! You’ll feel great about the premier concierge services you’re receiving, as well as the premier concierge services you’re giving to those in need.

FAQs

What is Christian medical care? How does it differ from regular healthcare?

Regular healthcare, as you know, uses scientific methods to treat your physical body as a collection of atoms and molecules, proteins, nucleic acids, cells, and organs. Christian medical care does everything that Western medicine does, but also adds the component of spiritual soul care.

We care about you holistically. We’re just as worried about your relationships as we are about your blood pressure. We’ll offer you an antidepressant when appropriate, as well as prayer and community – because we know it’s all interrelated. Our doctors are board-certified, expert physicians deeply respected in the medical field. They are also deeply spiritual people with spiritual gifts and faith in God’s power to heal.

Is Healing Grove a non-profit organization?

Healing Grove Health Center is a 501c3 non-profit organization. Our organization is dependent on generous donors who allow us to provide care to low-income families in San Jose.


Do I need to see my doctor to get a referral?

Not always. Some referrals are simply an insurance-required mechanism that can be accomplished with a call to our front desk during regular business hours. Some new referrals may be appropriately completed with an electronic visit or short phone call. Still other referrals may require a face-to-face encounter, or even further evaluations. We will let you know at the time. Our trusted consultants expect us to do the basic things first, and we would never want to destroy that collegial trust by making inappropriate referrals and wasting their time.

We have noticed that patients who were previously seen at rushed, over-scheduled, fee-for-service clinics often expect referrals for relatively simple medical problems. The same problems can usually be resolved quickly in our primary care clinic. Additionally, referrals can involve less experienced clinicians and systems which are paid more when specialists do the same tasks as generalists. Ultimately, this wastes patients’ time and money, sometimes even resulting in harmful, unnecessary procedures.

At Healing Grove, we intentionally designed our system so we are not incentivized to do unnecessary procedures or waste your time with unnecessary referrals. We removed conflicts of interest so that we can clearly see you and your health needs – nothing else.


Do I have to be Christian in order to come to your clinic?

No. Because of our Christian values, we believe every person is created in the image of God. That means we believe you are special and valuable, regardless of your faith tradition (or lack thereof). We go out of our way to care for each and every one of our members. Regardless of faith background, you’ll feel welcomed, comfortable, and appreciated at Healing Grove.

How much does my membership cost?

Each membership is a monthly cost of $200, or an annual cost of $2,400.

Is this insurance?

No. Healing Grove Health Center does not provide insurance of any kind. We ONLY provide primary care services. Your membership fee DOES NOT cover hospitalizations, speciality care, medication, imaging, etc.


I'm a Healing Grove member. Do I still need insurance?

Yes. Healing Grove is NOT insurance. You’ll need to keep your insurance when you become a member at Healing Grove. We do not cover hospitalizations, car accidents, speciality care, etc. That means if you have a serious medical emergency, you’ll need to use your personal insurance to cover it.


What kind of insurance should I get?

We recommend a high-deductible PPO. HMOs do not work well with Healing Grove since our physicians cannot refer you to a specialist through an HMO network. PPOs allow our doctors to take care of referring you to any specialist care needed.


How did Healing Grove decide on the price for the membership?

We provide top-quality concierge care for about the same price as several other concierge and direct primary care providers in the area. However, our practice is unique since each paying member pays for two low-income people to access our clinic.


Can I use my HRA/HSA/FSA at Healing Grove?

Yes. Healing Grove Health Center’s membership fee applies to the annual health care and soul care exam which can be paid for using your HSA/HRA/FSA.


How does my membership fee help others?

Everyone at Healing Grove works for significantly less than prevailing wages because of our Christian value of caring for the poor. Each paying member at Healing Grove funds two low-income members to access the clinic – people who otherwise wouldn’t be able to afford healthcare.

Do I need to see my doctor to get a refill or a new prescription?

No, not necessarily. The best way to refill a medication we have prescribed is to call your pharmacy 2 to 3 business days in advance. This keeps medication errors (wrong pharmacy, wrong medication, wrong dose, etc.) to a minimum by utilizing the connection between our electronic medical records.

Refills of medications from other doctors can often be obtained with a short text or phone conversation.

Some new prescriptions may be appropriately filled after an electronic or phone conversation. However, certain medications are more complex. If we feel a face-to-face encounter or examination is necessary, we will let you know.

Do you participate in mail-order pharmacies?

Yes. Many of our members use mail-order pharmacies.

Do you cover vaccines?

We cover annual influenza (flu) vaccinations and TB skin tests for our patients here in the office. The other adult and pediatric immunizations are just too expensive to provide at our office. We recommend using one of the local pharmacies and your health insurance for the other vaccinations.

Low-income children who meet the criteria for the VFC program can receive vaccines in the clinic. For higher-income children who have a well-child check here, we can recommend vaccinations and even obtain authorization and have the vaccines given at another site. Ask your doctor for details.

What tests or procedures do you offer in your office?

We perform basic office lab studies: urinalysis, blood sugar, urine pregnancy tests, hematocrit, electrocardiograms (EKG), basic breathing tests, and hearing screenings.

We also perform basic skin procedures (suturing and skin biopsies) and apply splints and casts for sprains and simple fractures (broken bones) here in the office.

We do not draw blood tests or perform x-rays in our office.


Do your doctors do operations?

We perform basic skin procedures (suturing and skin biopsies).  We can remove ingrown toenails. We can remove skin tags, sebaceous cysts, and most lipomas. We can freeze warts and other unsightly growths. We do not perform any major operations at surgical centers or hospitals.


Do you provide OB care?

No. Though our doctors have delivered hundreds of babies in their medical careers, our malpractice insurance does not allow us to provide primary obstetric care beyond the first trimester.


Can you do sports/school/camp physicals?

Yes. This is often our best opportunity to assess the care of our school-aged benefactors.


Can you be my Workman’s Comp doctor?

No. Workman’s Compensation insurance is contracted with specific doctors. We are happy to see you for any health problem or injury you may have regardless of where it occurred; however, if you require extensive treatment related to a workplace injury, a specialty office will probably need to be involved. This usually necessitates a Workman’s Comp provider well-versed in the rules and regulations of the complex Workman’s Comp system.


Can you do my DMV physical?

No. Since May 2014, federal regulations require that you must see a provider on the National Registry of Certified Medical Examiners for DMV physicals.


What is not included in my membership?

  • Hospital coverage
  • Specialist coverage
  • Blood tests outside of our standard individualized health exam

Book A FREE Appointment Today.

Wonder no more. See for yourself. Make a Free introductory appointment today and see how easy it is to get connected to a doctor.

Book An Appointment